Improvement in envelope-machines



Unir-En STATES PATENT OEEroE.

D. M. SMYTH, OF ORANGE, NEV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO D. APPLETON a co.,

or NEW Yonx orrv.

IMPROVEMENT IN ENVELOPE-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, D. M. SMYTH, of Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New J ersey, have invented and made a new andV useful Improvement in Envelope-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a fnll, clear, and exactdescription of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification, wherein- Y i Figure lis a plan of the machine, the strip of paper andthe envelope-blank not being shown; Fig. 2 is a side elevationfendwise of the main shaft. Fig. 3 is an elevationof the machine at the end where the paper is fed in. Fig. 4

vis a partial section ofthe followers and folders at the line a: w, illustrating the manner in which-the envelopes are* folded* and lap one under the other as they pass out of the`- folder upon the delivery-belt. Fig. 5 represents the strip of paper and the envelope-'blank in itsV proper relation thereto.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts. i

Envelopes have heretofore usnally been cut out by knives shaped like the outline of the envelope. Several sheets are cut out at each stroke of theknives. They, however, 'have to be' separated subsequently, folded, and

gummed.

In practice, it is impossible to make nse of dies or-knives for cutting out one envelope at a time from a sheet, because, after avery few strokes of the knife or die, the paper ceases to be cut clean `and smooth at the edge; There being nothing of a shearing cut to keep the edges in good condition, the smallest imperfection in the cutting-edge will cause the paper to tear, or leave the edge of the envelopeblank rough. p

My invention obviates all the said difculties that have been experienced in practice; and consists in a series of swinging shears, arranged and applied so as to cut out the envelope-blank from a sheetor long strip of paper, so that there is little or no waste, except at the necessary gores removed at the angles of the envelope, to allow the flaps to lap in folding.

I iind, practically, that shears arranged to cut out one blank envelope at a time will not become dull, except by very long use, and then can easily be ground, and that the yenvelope.- blank is cut out with smooth edges, `and very handsomely.

I will proceed to describe the successive operations of my said machine. In the drawing, A is a' frame, of suitable size and shape, carrying the main shaft B, .to which thel actuatingpower is applied that moves the respective parts. C is a bed, over which a long-sheet or strip'of paper of the proper width `is passed. C is a stationary gage, and D isa movable feeding-bar, fitted to slide endwise in the adjustable bars l l, that can be moved to accommodatediiierent widths of paper. p Upon the feeding-bar D is a spring-pawl or clamping-tooth, 2, that grasps the paper to carryit forward, and slides freely over the surface on'the return motion; and 3 is a similar pawl on the bar 1, to hold the paper from moving back.

The feeding-bar D is moved endwise by the link-D1, lever D2, and conuectingbar 4: to the crank-pinfof'the disk 5.

Suitable stops and adjustments may be provided to render the feed of the paper accurate, so that only the proper amount will be passed into the machine.

1 Upon reference to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the diamondshape of the envelope-blank results from aout that is diagonal to the strip ofpaper at the line6 6. This is effected by the shears E, which also have abend in them, so as to cut the gore or notch'7.

4-The gore'or notch 8 is cut by the shears F; the third gore `9 by the shears I 5 the fourth gore l0 by the shears K; and, in order to clip off the points of the diamond-shaped'blank at l ll and l2, I employ the shears L and G, the

shear G acting upon the edge of the strip of paper before the same arrives at the shear E.

Each shear is composed of two blades-one stationary, fastened to the bed, the other a swinging lever-blade; and I remark that I do not limit myself to any particular means for actuating these shears. I have, however,

shown the following devices:

The cam 13, lever E', and connecting-rod 14 are employed to close the shears E and G, and the springs 15 and 16 to open them.

the respective shears F and l, and the shear L y is actuated by an arm, 20, from one of the rods 19, and a link, 21, tothe other end of the shear.

The strip of paper, in approaching the shear E, slides under the bar N, that keeps it smooth,

and the paper rests upon the supporting portions O O1 O2 03,; and at P and P' are pasteholders fitted to act upon the envelope near the end 11, and at the flap R3 of the envelopeblank. These pasters are upon the slide and arm P2, that is drawn down by the lever E' as the envelope is cut out.

The follower S is sustained by the head 22, and rod Sl to the cam S2. The shape of this camis such that it holds the follower S just above the paper while it is being out out, so as to prevent its buckling or moving under the action of the shears; and directly below said follower S is a second follower, T, upon the upper end of the rod L', and the parts are so timed that the follower T is elevated when the cutting of the blank by the shears is complete; then the v cam. S2 rallows. the follower S to drop, carrying the envelope-blank in between four swinging flap holders, two of which, U U, are shown in Fig. 4. These flapholders are of usual construction, and are actuated by the'cams V, arms V,'and rods V2, to the cranks of the folders.

The parts are so timed that the follower S rises immediately; then the ap R1 is first turned 5 next, the flap R2, bringing its pasted end over upon Rl then the flap R3 is turned over upon R1 R2; the iiap R4 is then turned down over the other flaps. This done, the follower T descends with the envelope, and the pusher W, actuated by the bent lever W' and a proiection on the lever D2, slides the en'- velope off thefollower T upon a table, Y,`and beneath the preceding envelope, the flap R4 turning up, as shown in Fig. 4..

The endless belt Z passes around the rollers 25 26, and is moved along progressively by the ratchet 27, lever and -pawl 28, and connecting-rod 29,

To the lever F', and over the belts Z, is a roller, 30, in a swinging frame, 31, kept toward velopes are carried along beneath the roller.

30 they are pressed sufficiently to properly fold them, causing the pasted surfaces to adhere; and the flaps R4 lie one over the other, lapping so thatnarrow surfaces are left exposed for gum or adhesive material, to be applied as they lie upon the apron or belt Z, and this;

belt may be extended a sufficient distance to allow the mucilage to dry by natural or artiiicial means. l

This machine produces the envelopes complete, one at a time, and the edges are out smoothly and accurately, andthere is not the waste of paper usual in other machines.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A swinging shear, placed diagonally to the feeding mechanismfand formed with a bend, so as to separate the paper diagonally of the strip and simultaneously form one of the gores of the envelope-blank, substantially as set forth.

2. The arrangement herein set forth of a series of swinging shears for cutting out the gores of :the envelope-blank, in combination with mechanism for feeding in the strip o f paper, and for folding the envelope, substantially as set forth.

3. The pusher W, arranged and operating substantially as set forth, in combination with the followers S and T and folders U, for` folding and delivering the envelope, as set forth.

4. The rollers 25 and 30, placed so as to raise. the vrear portions of the envelopes as they are delivered from the folder, in combination with the pusher W, that passes the envelope beneath those previously delivered,

and the belt Z, thatconveys the envelopesv away, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my v signature this 7th dayof April, A. D. 1869. D. M. SMYTH.

Witnesses:

OHAs. H. SMITH, GEO. T. PINGKNEY. 

